VALE FC: October 2010

Sunday 31 October 2010

Beckenham Town FC 0 vs. Vale FC 22

League Match 31^st October 2010

Today was a day of celebration for the Vale U16 squad as they romped to a 22-0 victory against Bexley League Division A newcomers Beckenham Town. The lads were celebrating actually playing a game after last week’s cancelled game and Keanu Legal-Miller’s 16^th birthday! Just one look at the shoreline will confirm that they celebrated in style!

Shaquile Fakolujo opened the scoring with an expertly taken penalty 5 minutes into the game, tucking it low to the keeper’s right… after which the floodgates opened. With Jamie McLeod rendered almost totally redundant in goal, probably about 90% of the game was played in the Beckenham Town half. With chances aplenty, it was one-way traffic, with virtually every Vale player looking likely to score. Again, Fakolujo was unlucky not to add to his tally when he crashed a pile-driver shot off a post in the second half.

In essence, Vale totally out-muscled, outclassed, and outplayed their opponents, threatening to score with every attack. It would be churlish to single out any individual players, other than to say the back four of Borg, Bonsu, Legal-Miller and Rhoden never looked as if they could be beaten… all defended excellently well. The midfield of Walters, Bernard, Fakolujo and Haynes-Robertson won all their individual battles and created a non-stop stream of goal-scoring chances, taking some themselves and putting some on a plate for forwards Nwanokwu and Richards. However, notably, Jake Bernard regularly roasted his left back to fire in a succession of dangerous crosses for the forwards to feed on.

8-0 up at half-time, the eventual result was a foregone conclusion, but 40 minutes remained to be played. The second half saw the introduction of debutants Paul Sewell and Austin Otchere, with Daniel de Weever providing fresh legs and momentum part way through the first half (and unlucky not to score after crashing an effort from outside the area onto the crossbar). Otchere crowned his debut with a bullet header from a Scott Borg cross in the second half. Sewell showed great promise and potential to make a significant contribution to the Vale cause this season.

Vale went on to score 14 in the second half in what turned out to be a turkey-shoot of a game. The biggest challenge was for Vale to keep their discipline, shape and focus without disrespecting the opposition… and this they did with admirable decency and sportsmanship.

The list of goal scorers reads like a tale of the tape:

Chris Richards – 6

Obi Nwanokwu – 4

Scott Borg – 4

Jake Bernard – 4

Devante Walters – 1

Shaquile Fakolujo - 1

Kyle Haynes-Robertson – 1

Austin Otchere – 1

It’s good to see goals coming from every department on the pitch… Goal of the Game was probably skipper Nwanokwu’s 4^thon the day, cutting in on his right foot on the edge of the area to crash in an unstoppable rising shot top bins.

There were several goals “made in Brazil via Balham”, with Borg (4) weaving his magic and Richards (6) proving testimony to hard-work and self belief. Bernard (4) created and scored, showing blistering pace and improvement with his blistering pace and whipped deliveries.

All in all… an enjoyable romp… 22 goals for and another clean sheet… and a day of celebration… Happy Birthday Keanu – aka KALM3!!!!!

Vale: McLeod; Rhoden; Bonsu; Legal-Miller; Borg (4); Bernard (4); Fakolujo (1); Haynes-Robertson (1); Walters (1); Nwanokwu (4); Richards (6)

De Weever; Sewell; Otchere (1);

Saturday 23 October 2010

Chris Richards smashes four as Vale romp to 6-0 victory

League Match - 17th October 2010: Welling Wanderers FC 0 - Vale FC 6

Vale U16s needed to put points on the board after the previous week’s debacle which saw them forfeit three points in their first home fixture of the season due to the absence of player registration cards on the day. Despite the fact that Vale eventually played the match against Longwood FC and cruised to a scintillating 6-2 victory, the match was reduced to friendly status and the points awarded to the totally outclassed Longwood outfit.

Welling presented as a very well drilled and organised team that were prepared to work hard with a physical and long-ball approach to the game. This was absorbed by the Vale defence of Rhoden, Bonsu, Legal-Miller and Borg in the opening exchanges, and the whole team used the defensive strength as a springboard to launch their own attacking forays.

Feeding off increasing possession of the ball, Vale were able to get into their customary stride of free-flowing football to feet, and began to make their dominance pay dividends midway through the first half, with Chris Richards benefiting from Jake Bernard’s creative industry to put Vale 1-0 ahead and notch his first of the season with a perfectly despatched header. This seemed to take the stuffing out of Welling’s resistance, and Richards went on to score his second shortly after. The game was over as a contest just before half time when skipper Obi Nwanokwu scored his second of the season when he passed his effort into the bottom corner from outside the area. Shaquile Fakolujo was unlucky to have a great effort chalked off for an infringement after crashing an unstoppable volley into the roof of the net past the despairing Welling keeper.

Jake Bernard and Kyle Haynes-Robertson were largely responsible for creating much of the attacking menace for Vale. Haynes-Robertson mopped up most of the Welling threat in front of the Vale back four, with Bernard providing the ammunition to the forwards. Borg and Walters tucked in where necessary and provided a steady and reliable outlet out wide, whipping in dangerous crosses throughout.

Vale managed to maintain their discipline and momentum into the second half, with Daniel de Weever slotting into the midfield to good effect. Richards scored his hat-trick and then his fourth to confirm a very impressive return to form, with Nwanokwu rounding off the 6-0 drubbing with a far post headed effort that nestled into the roof of the net. Jamie McLeod had very little to do in between the sticks for Vale, which was testimony to Vale’s dominance of this encounter, but his starting position was greatly improved and his kicking was superb.

Whilst Vale never really reached their fluent potential, this, in fairness, was largely due to the very uneven playing surface. However, their concentration and dedication to duty, and their keenness and confidence to play football in the right way, enabled them to maintain a strangle-hold on the game, the result of which soon became inevitable... a victory and three points for Vale. Yet again, another excellent performance and result for Vale in the second game of their 2010-2011 league campaign... 6 goals (11 in total), another clean sheet and all three points in the bag.

Vale FC: McLeod; Rhoden; Borg; Bonsu; Legal-Miller; Haynes-Robertson; Bernard; Fakolujo; Walters; Nwanokwu (2); Richards (4)

de Weever;

Pich Side Reporter : Gus Nwanokwu

Friday 22 October 2010

Hat-trick Hero Tevon Webster gets Vale off to an early season flyer!

League Match - 17th October 2010:

Bexley Pumas FC U16 0 - Vale FC U16 5

Reduced to a squad of 13 available players, Vale met newcomers to the A Division Bexley Pumas in this 2010-2011 season-opener, away from home, and were immediately faced with a tense atmosphere after their late arrival. However, coach Fakolujo expertly managed to get his squad focused on the job at hand and, to their credit, they rose to the occasion admirably. Not only were they challenged with an unknown entity in their opponents, the team were also charged with adopting an unfamiliar formation with full-backs Scott Borg and Zach Rhoden encouraged to play high, push on and provide additional attacking fire power down their respective flanks. Both players adapted exceptionally well and proved a constant thorn in the Pumas' side.

On a poor playing surface Vale stayed patient throughout the early exchanges, refusing to resort to the long-ball game and tried to produce their now customary brand of flowing possession football to feet. Their patience paid off handsomely as their quality prevailed over a somewhat physical Pumas side. Tevon Webster broke Pumas' resistance after 20 minutes with a well-worked and comfortably dispatched left-foot finish to settle Vale nerves. With confidence soaring, Vale attacked relentlessly through the middle and down the flanks, and this pressure paid off when Jake Bernard's shot was saved by the keeper, but cannoned off a Pumas defender to score an own goal and put Vale 2-0 up going into the half-time break.

Not to discredit Pumas, who were well organised and provided a good physical challenge, much of their attacking play came through the middle, and the Vale central defensive partnership of Keanu Legal-Miller and David Bonsu were more than up to the task of dealing with most threats posed. On the rare occasion the Vale back four was breached, goalkeeper Jamie McLeod was in assured form, benefiting from near-perfect starting positions to nullify Pumas breaks.

The second half saw Vale increase their ascendancy, playing, at times, irresistible football. Kyle Haynes-Robertson made an outstanding holding midfield contribution, covering the defensive back four and breaking up play. Daniel de Weever made a fantastic cameo appearance, slotting into his midfield role to establish continuity and stability.

This match also saw two new players make their debuts with the team and, it must be said, to encouraging effect. Devante Walters came on for the start of the second half at left midfield in place of Bernard, and showed good quality in his composure and keeping the game simple. He demonstrated great technical ability and the will to play his team-mates in, and was very unlucky not to score from a left-footed effort during a goalmouth scramble. He had a significant and positive influence on the game.

Shaquile Fakolujo partnered Obi in central midfield, playing the holding role, with Nwanokwu pushing up to support the forwards. Fakolujo showed tenacity in the tackle and the ability to set others up with an array of short and long-range passes. He was also very unlucky not to get onto the score sheet in the first half when his fierce 25-yard drive was tipped over the bar by the Pumas goalkeeper. Both debutants made very impressive and commendable contributions in their first run-outs.

Tevon Webster continued the second half as he'd started the first, being a constant threat on the Pumas goal. He went on to score another two goals in the second half after excellent team play involving end-to-end passages of play of inspirational quality. Centre forward Chris Richards played the target-man role to perfection, with tireless running across the opposition back four, held the ball up well and played others in at every opportunity. He too was unlucky not to get on the score sheet but, like most strikers, his confidence will return when he scores his first goal and, no doubt, with his ability, it will be the first of many this season!

After a committed and creative contribution to the flow of the game, the industrious and motivational skipper Obi Nwanokwu opened his account for the season by scoring the fifth for Vale, showing superb composure and technical aplomb to steer his shot low and hard into the bottom corner of the Pumas net, leaving the keeper with no chance to save the shot.

All in all, an excellent start to the 2010-2011 league campaign... 5 goals, a clean sheet and all the points in the bag. But, possibly even more exciting than the match statistics, is the manner in which this result was achieved. In patches, Vale showed glimpses of the imperious form and quality that became their trademark last season. The expectation now is for Vale to build on this performance and establish themselves as the team to beat this season.

Great performance... bodes well for the future... well done!

Vale FC: McLeod; Rhoden; Borg; Bonsu; Legal-Miller; Haynes-Robertson; Bernard; Fakolujo; Nwanokwu (1); Webster (3); Richards

de Weever; Walters